Portable link drive

Abstract

A method, apparatus and system for distributing movies, video, images, audio or music and games or software in general in an electronic digital format which is convenient for users and securely protects the rights of content owners is described. The invention includes a portable secure memory device, referred to as a Portable Link Drive, that facilitates convenient use of digital data distributed over the Internet and displayed, played or used on consumer electronic devices, such as a TVs and speakers.

1 . A method for securely distributing and playing digital content comprising:
 securely encoding said digital content to form secure digital content;   securely downloading security data related to said secure digital content to a portable link drive;   downloading said secure digital content to a selected computer system;   connecting said portable link drive to an authorized display system;   remotely controlling the play operation of said portable link drive;   processing said security data in said portable link drive;   securely transferring said secure digital content from said selected computer system to said authorized display system; and   securely playing the digital content.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the secure digital content is transferred from the selected computer system to the authorized display system by first transferring the secure digital content to the portable link drive and then from the portable link drive to the authorized display system; 
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the securely encoded digital content is transferred from the selected computer system to the portable link drive by means of a wireless connection; 
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the portable link drive is connected to the authorized display system by a Universal Serial Bus electronic interface. 
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the portable link drive is connected to the authorized display system by a IEEE 1394 electronic interface. 
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein remotely controlling the play operation of the portable link drive is by means of an infra red remote control device. 
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the digital content is multimedia content. 
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the multimedia content is a movie. 
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the multimedia content is a game. 
   
   
       10 . A system for securely distributing and playing digital content comprising:
 a cryptographic module operable to encode said digital content to form secure digital content;   an interface operable to securely download security data related to said secure digital content to a portable link drive;   a system operable to download said secure digital content to a selected computer system;   an interface operable to connect said portable link drive to an authorized display system;   a module operable to remotely control the play operation of said portable link drive;   a module operable to process said security data in said portable link drive;   an interface operable to securely transfer said secure digital content from said selected computer system to said authorized display system, wherein said digital content is securely played on said authorized display system.   
   
   
       11 . An apparatus for securely distributing and playing digital content, said apparatus comprising:
 means for securely encoding said digital content to form secure digital content;   means for securely downloading security data related to said secure digital content to a portable link drive;   means for downloading said secure digital content to a selected computer system;   means for connecting said portable link drive to an authorized display system;   means for remotely controlling the play operation of said portable link drive;   means for processing said security data in said portable link drive;   means for securely transferring said secure digital content from said selected computer system to said authorized display system; and   means for securely playing the digital content.   
   
   
       12 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the secure digital content is transferred from the selected computer system to the authorized display system by first transferring the secure digital content to the portable link drive and then from the portable link drive to the authorized display system; 
   
   
       13 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the securely encoded digital content is transferred from the selected computer system to the portable link drive by means of a wireless connection; 
   
   
       14 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the portable link drive is connected to the authorized display system by a Universal Serial Bus electronic interface. 
   
   
       15 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the portable link drive is connected to the authorized display system by a IEEE 1394 electronic interface. 
   
   
       16 . The apparatus of  claim 1   1 , wherein remotely controlling the play operation of the portable link drive is by means of an infra red remote control device. 
   
   
       17 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the digital content is multimedia content. 
   
   
       18 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the multimedia content is a movie. 
   
   
       19 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the multimedia content is a game. 
   
   
       20 . A computer readable medium containing an executable program for securely distributing and playing digital content, where the program performs the steps of:
 securely encoding said digital content to form secure digital content;   securely downloading security data related to said secure digital content to a portable link drive;   downloading said secure digital content to a selected computer system;   connecting said portable link drive to an authorized display system;   remotely controlling the play operation of said portable link drive;   processing said security data in said portable link drive;   securely transferring said secure digital content from said selected computer system to said authorized display system; and   securely playing the digital content.   
   
   
       21 . The computer readable medium as in  claim 20 , wherein the secure digital content is transferred from the selected computer system to the authorized display system by first transferring the secure digital content to the portable link drive and then from the portable link drive to the authorized display system; 
   
   
       22 . The computer readable medium as in  claim 21 , wherein the securely encoded digital content is transferred from the selected computer system to the portable link drive by means of a wireless connection; 
   
   
       23 . The computer readable medium as in  claim 20 , wherein the portable link drive is connected to the authorized display system by a Universal Serial Bus electronic interface. 
   
   
       24 . The computer readable medium as in  claim 20 , wherein the portable link drive is connected to the authorized display system by a IEEE 1394 electronic interface. 
   
   
       25 . computer readable medium as in  claim 20 , wherein remotely controlling the play operation of the portable link drive is by means of an infra red remote control device. 
   
   
       26 . The computer readable medium as in  claim 20 , wherein the digital content is multimedia content. 
   
   
       27 . The computer readable medium as in  claim 26 , wherein the multimedia content is a movie. 
   
   
       28 . The computer readable medium as in  claim 26 , wherein the multimedia content is a game.